1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to railroad flatcars used for containerized shipping.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a conventional railroad flatcar used in containerized shipping, standardized, standard sized shipping containers are loaded onto and off of flatcars with cranes without any special system to secure the containers to the flatcars. The containers are only on one level.
Due to potential weight and energy savings, and also due to the shortage of railroad flatcars, it has long been desired to devise a system for carrying the containers in a double deck configuration on railroad flatcars, but for safety and other considerations such a system is not a simple matter.
For example, reference is made to an article in Journal of Commerce, June 25, 1979, page 7A, wherein one double-deck design is described. The system described therein appears to involve simply stacking two containers without means to secure the containers on the flatcar. In the event of a derailment or other accident, the top container would most likely fall off.
No prior art railway containerized shipping system is known which allows double-deck container stacking with adequate safety and efficiency.